4.
Career path <ul><li>Always wanted to be a doctor! </li></ul><ul><li>Did well in VCE-interview for med at Monash but did not get in…devastated </li></ul><ul><li>Decided to do BSc (Biomedical) and later (?) transfer to medicine </li></ul>

5.
Career path <ul><li>BSc (Biomed) </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Anatomy </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Physiology </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Why did I decide to do these subjects? </li></ul><ul><li>Because both subject interested me! </li></ul>

6.
Career path <ul><li>How did I find my first job? </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Through a friend of a friend of a friend…. </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Ask your friends, family, colleagues - use your contacts! </li></ul><ul><ul><li>register with employment agency </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>read newpapers/employment websites and send out resumes </li></ul></ul><ul><li>First job was as a dialysis technician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (renal failure patients) </li></ul>

7.
Career path <ul><li>Dialysis technician for 18 months and decided I wanted a change </li></ul><ul><li>Accepted to do medicine but declined the offer </li></ul><ul><li>Looked at internal employment board at RMH and decided to apply for a cardiac technologist position without knowing anything about the job. </li></ul>

9.
Career path <ul><li>Poached by pacemaker company </li></ul><ul><li>Role at St Jude: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Clinical Support Specialist </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Product Specialist </li></ul></ul><ul><li>In this work I use both anatomy and physiology knowledge learned at university </li></ul><ul><li>Also need to be aware of latest studies and clinical trials in arrhythmia and heart failure management so need to know how to interpret scientific papers </li></ul>

10.
Typical day <ul><li>Day 1 post operation check </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Find patient on the hospital ward </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Have a chat to patient and ask how they are feeling and answer any questions they may have (usually there are many!) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Perform pacemaker check using programmer </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Call implanting physician with results and inform nurse looking after the patient </li></ul></ul>

11.
Pacemaker implant <ul><li>Meet patient in trolley bay outside theatre or cathlab and talk them through what to expect from operation </li></ul><ul><li>Prep patient for surgery and help set up lab </li></ul><ul><li>Discuss product to be used for the patient with doctor </li></ul>

13.
Pacemaker implant cont <ul><li>If implanting a defibrillator induce arrhythmia and shock patient </li></ul><ul><li>Check the device post operatively to make sure leads have not moved </li></ul><ul><li>Patients with pacemakers/ICDs must come for follow-ups on a regular basis ~6 months </li></ul><ul><li>Follow up is done in conjunction with physician </li></ul>Pacemaker/ICD clinic

14.
Other duties <ul><li>Education for nurses/techs/doctors </li></ul><ul><li>Sales calls to implanting physicians and inform them of latest technology </li></ul><ul><li>Pre and post op checks for major operations </li></ul><ul><li>Clinical trials </li></ul>

16.
Take home message <ul><li>Not getting into medicine was not the end of the world for me! </li></ul><ul><li>There are many other career options that can be just as rewarding that you may not even know about or have considered. </li></ul><ul><li>Be creative when looking for a job and do not have preconceived ideas! </li></ul><ul><li>Talk to people, ask questions. </li></ul>